Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every 43 seconds, someone in the U.S. suffers a heart attack, and many of these incidents result in death.
With February being American Heart Month, many organizations are taking the initiative to not only raise awareness of heart disease in general, but also offer tips to help decrease the risk of developing it.
One initiative in particular is called Million Hearts®. It is led by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This national initiative is focused on preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes by the year 2017.
Poor Economic Status is a Heart Disease Risk Factor
In order to meet this goal, Million Hearts is targeting individuals with a higher risk of heart disease and encouraging them to make their heart health a number-one priority. Traditional risk factors of heart disease include elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and smoking. Another common risk factor that is having a big impact is socioeconomic status (SES).
A study conducted by UC Davis showed that low SES increased an individual’s risk of developing heart disease by 50%. For years, it was believed that higher risk was caused by reduced access to healthcare and poor commitment to treatment options, such as quitting smoking or taking medication.
But for the first time, this study showed that even when long-term improvements were made, individuals of lower socioeconomic status were still at a higher risk of developing heart disease.
Manage Heart Disease Indicators More Aggressively
Knowing that individuals of a lower SES are at a greater risk means that prevention awareness should be a high priority and begin early in life. At a young age, kids can be taught to eat healthy, to steer clear of smoking and to practice natural techniques that can help lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Children who experience too much stress at a young age can develop a lasting adaptation to it, resulting in more stress on the heart as they get older.
You Might Also Enjoy: Harvard Heart Letter: Simple Changes Can Have a Major Effect on Heart Health
It has also been shown that the long-term effects of social disadvantage – another major cause of stress – throughout an individual’s life can serious damage the cardiovascular system.
Offer Affordable Heart Screenings
When it comes to heart disease, early detection is key. Being diagnosed doesn’t necessarily mean a future heart attack or stroke, but it does increase the risk. Early detection of heart disease allows doctors to help prevent a heart attack or stroke by encouraging patients to change their diet, or by prescribing medication.
One of the primary issues with regular heart screenings – or healthcare in general – for individuals of low socioeconomic status is the cost. Offering affordable heart screenings would likely help increase the success rate of early detection amongst this high-risk group, and ultimately help decrease the number of heart attacks and strokes across the country.
Scale Up a Multidrug Regimen
A study by The Lancet, called, “Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in High-Risk Individuals in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: Health Effects and Costs,” was aimed at estimating the number of deaths that could be avoided by scaling up a multidrug regimen above its current coverage level to help with the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
The multidrug regimen included a statin, aspirin and two blood pressure medications. The study showed that as a result of scaling up this drug regimen over a 10-year period, 17.9 million deaths from cardiovascular disease could be averted with only a moderate increase in health expenses.
